Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin talked with home plate umpire Gerry Davis before appealing a play at the plate during the fourth inning of their game against the Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 24.
Kristopher Skinner
McClatchy Tribune

Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin talked with home plate umpire Gerry Davis before appealing a play at the plate during the fourth inning of their game against the Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 24.
Kristopher Skinner
McClatchy Tribune

Crew chief for Wild Card Game had irked A’s last month

Major League Baseball announced Monday that Gerry Davis will be the crew chief for Tuesday’s American League Wild Card Game between the Royals and A’s at Kauffman Stadium.

There were some hard feelings between Davis and the A’s during a pair of games last month. Oakland lost 2-0 to the Angels and afterward some of the A’s players complained that Davis made a “crybaby face” (making a fist and rubbing the corner of his eyes) toward their dugout, according to the San Jose Mercury News, which cited Oakland players.

Several A’s players told this newspaper that Davis had been reprimanded by MLB, but nothing was officially announced.

A’s pitcher Scott Kazmir took issue with balls and strikes that were called by Davis the following day. Manager Bob Melvin was ejected in that game.

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“I’m trying really hard to rise above the B.S. to be honest with you,” Kazmir told the Mercury News. “It’s late August. It’s a tough time of the year for anyone in the game, it really is. But it’s important to rise above any personal issue and call a fair game. We owe it to the game to do that.”

It’s worth noting that Davis worked the A’s series last week against the Angels and there apparently were no complaints or lingering hard feelings.

The other umpires for the series will be regular-season crew chief Bill Miller, James Hoye, Dan Iassogna, Todd Tichenor and Bill Welke.

To reach Pete Grathoff, call 816-234-4330 or send email to pgrathoff@kcstar.com. Follow him at twitter.com/pgrathoff